Bolt and nut lock



Aug. 12,1941. V H VAN SANT 2,252,145

BOLT AND NUT LOCK Filed Sept. 23, 1939 Patented Aug. 12, 19%

i I Z,2 52 ,l

ENT OFFIC BOLT'AND NUT LOCK Victor. H. Van Sant, Westiield, N. J., assignor of one-third to Wilbur B. Driver, Newark, N. 3., and one-third to Henry Kershaw, Belleville,

Application September 23, 1939, Serial No. 296,313

' vantageous. Each slot extends preferably for 2 Claims. My invention relates to bolt and nut locks.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for yield-ingly pressing the threads of the nut against the threads of the bolt to prevent improper rotation of the nut. V

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character which is also adapted to-bite into the work or the like to prevent accidental rotation of the nut.

A further object of the invention is to .provide a nut and lock means which produces a unitary construction.

,A further object of the invention is to provide a.device of the above mentioned char acter which is of simple construction and may be manufactured cheaply for commercial use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. e

In the accompanying drawing forming a par of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

I a modification of the invention, and,

Figure 7 isa similar view of a nut embodying a further modification of the invention.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred embodiments of my invention, the numeral I 8 designates a nut having a bore provided with screw-threads II, This bore receives the'screw-threaded end I2 of a bolt I3. Upon its inner end, the nut I has an annular 'fiange I4. At its inner end, this nut is counter-bored, providing a cylindrical recess I5, extending through the flange I4. The recess I is free from screw-threads, and is slightly larger in diameter than the screw-threaded end I2 of .the bolt and the wall of the recess l5 will not contact therewith.

The nut I0 is provided in its periphery with one or more slots l6, cut therein. For the purpose of illustration]; have shown two' of these slots, While the number may be varied, as found adapproximately 90.

oblique and extends upwardly towardits leading The slot is inclined or end I1. The trailing end of the slot is open, as shown. The slot extends through the lower portion of the screw-threads II of the nut ID. This slot I6 forms a finger or pawl I8. The free end of this finger or pawl is bent downwardly or outwardly, producing a blade-like jaw I9, normally arranged in a plane outwardly of the inner end .of the nut and the outer face of the flange Id.

In this form of the-invention, the side walls of the slot I 6 are parallel throughout the major portion of their length and the .free end of the finger or pawl I8 is bent outwardly or downwardly sharply to produce the blade-like edge I9.

The slots I6 are first cut forming the fingers or pawls I8 which are bent to produce the outwardly projecting jaws I9, after which the screwthreads II are tapped or cut, portions II of these screw-threads being formed upon the fingers or pawls I8, as shown.

After the several parts of the nut have thus been formed, the nut is hardened and springtemperedtto render the finger or pawl I8 resilient. The nut may be made of any suitable material, such as'steel a steel alloy or the like. a In the use of this form of the invention, the nut I0 is placed upon the bolt and is screwed up in the usual manner until the edge I9 engages the surface 20 to which the bolt is applied. Upon further screwing-up movement of the nut, the finger or pawl I8 is bent or flexed into the slot I6. This bending or flexing of the resilient finger or pawl can occur by virtue of the fact that the recess I5 has no screw-threads and is spaced from the screw-threaded portion 'of the bolt, and since the outer portion of the finger or pawl I8 includes the wall of the recess I5, the outer end portion of the finger or pawl has no contact with nor screwrthreaded engagement with the screwthreaded portion. of the bolt. The outer portion of the finger or pawl I8 is thus spaced out of contact with the screw-threaded portion of the bolt, which is eifected by means of the recess I5, but this may be accomplished y other means. When the nut is screwed up completely so that the outer face of the flange I4 contacts with the surface 20, the finger or pawl I8 is placed under the maximum compression. This finger or pawl I8 will transmit a constant yielding pressure to the portions I I of the screw-threads formed upon said finger or pawl I8, and the screw-threads of the nut will thus have binding engagement with the screw-threads of the bolt, preventing accidental unscrewing of the bolt. Further, the edge [9 oi. the finger or pawl l8 bites into the surface 20 and this edge not only serves to place the finger or pawl l8 under compression, but to hold the nut against rotation at the surface 20.

In Figure 6, I have shown a slight modification of the invention. In this figure, the resilient finform of the' invention.

In Figure 7, I have shown a further modification of the invention. In this figure, the resilient finger or pawl l8 does not have its free end bent outwardly or downwardly, and the opposite walls of the slot I6 are normallyparallel throughout their entire length. At the free end of the finger or pawl I8, I provide a raised portion or lug 2|, projecting outwardly beyond the face of the flange l4. All other parts of the nut and bolt remain identical with those shown and described in connection with the first form of the invention.

When the nut HI shown in Figure '7 is applied to the bolt and screwed up, the raised portion or lug 2| will engage with the surface 20, and the free end portion of the resilient finger i8 will be bent into the slot l6 and placed under compression. This will cause a binding action between the screw-thread portions ll formed upon the finger or pawl l8 and the screw-threads of the bolt. This will prevent accidental unscrewing of the nut.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a bolt and nut look, a bolt having a screw-threaded portion, a nut having a bore provided with screw-threads to receive the screwthreaded portion of the bolt, said nut being provided at its inner end with a recess having a greater diameter than the diameter of the screwthreaded bore of the nut, said nut being provided in its periphery with an inclined slot extending through the screw-threads of said bore and the wall of said recess for forming a finger, said slot also passing through the inner end of the nut, said finger being resilient and having a part near its free end projecting outwardly beyond the inner end of the nut, the inner portion of the finger having portions of the screwthreads of the nut formed thereonwhile the outer portion of the finger includes the wall of the recess and is free from screw-threads and unlocked from the screw-threads of the bolt.

'ZFA bolt and nut lock, comprising a bolt having a screw-threaded portion, a nut having a bore provided with screw threads to receive the screwthreaded portion of the bolt, said nut being provided in its periphery with a slot which extends generally longitudinally of the turning axis of the nut, said slot being inclined with respect to the turning axis of the nut and extending transversely of and through the screw threads of the bore, said slot extending through the inner end of the nut, said slot forming a finger, said finger being yieldable and having a part near its free end projecting outwardly beyond the inner end of the nut, the inner portion of the finger having portions of the screw threads of the nut formed thereon, the outer portion of the finger being free from screw-threaded engagement with the screwthreaded portion of the bolt and yieldable with relation to the bolt, the finger tending to tilt due to its yielding action and thereby efiecting a binding action between the screw threads upon the inner portion of the finger and the screw threads upon the bolt.

VICTOR H. VAN SANT. 

